tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21906620236760328852017-09-06T19:52:49.460-07:00Universal SpiritualityChonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-17007546213286905512011-09-07T21:17:00.000-07:002011-09-07T21:17:24.730-07:00Taste & Smell<h3 class="post-title entry-title"> <a href="http://soullite.blogspot.com/2011/09/taste-smell.html"></a> </h3><div class="post-header"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">____________________</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Don’t argue regarding taste and smell” - a Jewish adage</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One evening, while I was patronizing a Starbuck’s café, the help behind the counter suggested that I try a newly featured coffee. When I explained that I already tasted it and found it too bitter, she expressed surprise that I did not enjoy a brew in such popular demand. I asked her to please not worry about it, in Hebrew we have a saying<i>, “Al ta’am v’al rey’ach al m’fah’kay’ach”</i> which means, “Don’t argue regarding taste and smell”. (I know … in Hebrew the phrase comes out more poetic.) I was trying the phrase on her, to convey, “Please don’t take it personally if I am uninterested in what you are recommending. Taste and smell are very subjective and can vary widely from person to person.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Even though I was employing the adage to convey a simple message, truthfully, the saying is very ripe with mystical meaning. Different creature’s experience the universe so radically differently that many of them perceive themselves are living in different universes. An angel and a human would probably not consider each other to be inhabitants of the same universe. The human thinks of himself as dwelling in physical time/space; whereas, the angel considers himself a dweller of spiritual time/space. From the perspective of the human and the angel, their realms don’t meet. Yet, strangely they share the same universe. They just experience it very differently.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Taste and smell” are in this poetic phrase representative of all perception. Chassidic mysticism teaches that “taste” refers to what Kabbalah calls “inner light” – light which streams into a vessel, filling it with life. The&nbsp;containing entity becomes alive; just like a body when the soul's lights pours in.&nbsp; “Smell” refers to what Kabbalah calls “surrounding light” – light which is too pure to be taken into a vessel and only exerts a vague influence, behaving as if it’s outside the containing entity. An example of this&nbsp;are soul levels too pure to enter into the human body. Yet, these higher soul levels often interact with the soul lights entering the body.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Examples of <i>inner</i> and <i>surrounding</i> light abound abundantly throughout reality. The reason why taste is “inner light” is because it’s a sensation that occurs while taking something in – like food. Smell is a sensation which occurs even before food is taken in. It’s a vague foreshadowing of the taste to come. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There's often&nbsp;a broad consensus on what tastes and smells people enjoy.&nbsp;However, this overlap in human preference does not mean that a particular taste or smell feels exactly the same to everyone. The fact that some like a dish and even a few don’t, teaches us that even our most physical of senses are subjective and literally wired to pick up differently. I remember when I was introduced to&nbsp;using of cilantro as a condiment I was warned, “People either strongly love it or strongly dislike it. There’s no such a thing as a person who’s neutral about cilantro.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">From the phenomena of taste and smell we can appreciate the subjectivity of the rest of our sensory perceptions. If humans, who are of the same species and in general share a common biology, exhibit such variety&nbsp;in their&nbsp;sensory experiences, then certainly between species there are vast varieties of sensory perceptions, altering their experience of the universe. Their experiences of the universe can be so radically different that some creatures would not consider themselves as inhabiting the same universe as other creatures at all. It’s all in what powers of perception particular creatures were designed with. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What’s so interesting is how what we experience as a “universe” is probably not really even a universe at all. Rather, it’s more like the very best a dream character can do to experience his Dreamer. If he really experienced the Dreamer, he’d disappear into the Dreamer’s consciousness. So really from the character’s perspective, the surrounding dreamscape is the extent of his experience of the Dreamer. Only it’s constrained by what his powers of perception can handle. Anything more and his identity deftly vanishes into the Dreamer’s consciousness, seamlessly dissolving into the Dreamer's identity. This is what happens when the Dreamer awakes – the <i>lesser self</i> becomes absorbed by the <i>Greater Self</i>.</span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Just as the dreamscape is all of the Dreamer the dreamed can handle, so too, the universe we see in front of us is all of the Creator our five senses can handle. The vast array of potent spiritual lights an angel perceives is all of the Creator an angel can handle. Anything more, is much too overwhelming. The angel will disappear in the act of being absorbed into his Higher Source.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So really in the ultimate sense, there’s only the Creator!&nbsp; The vastly varied perceptions of the universe are really a range of varied limited perceptions of the Creator.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">==================================================</span></div>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-91924642674585396052011-07-14T21:11:00.001-07:002011-07-16T22:54:55.417-07:00Universal Mysticism<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Understanding the Creator's Oneness (to the extent humanly possible) carries implications which logically force a reformulation of&nbsp;how we understand our very own existence. This newly reformulated&nbsp;understanding can be used to design&nbsp;a universal mysticism,&nbsp;which openly invites all humans to participate. Biblically speaking,&nbsp;the Creator desires all humans to relate to His Oneness. So a mysticism&nbsp;that centers on&nbsp;understanding His Oneness can become a temple for all people&nbsp;from varied of backgrounds and beliefs to meet, study, pray, meditate&nbsp;and share.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Before explaining how an attempt to understanding the Creator's Oneness lends itself to rethinking all&nbsp;existence along mystical terms, a brief overview of&nbsp;the Creator's Oneness will help&nbsp;us guide into the topic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">The Creator is "One", but, not in a mathematical sense. People commonly conceptualize "one" numerically. Mathematical concepts, being "creation based", are too limited to be applied to the Creator. Also, every oneness people refer to is "composite", meaning composed of parts. Being composed of parts, such oneness declares, "I may look to you like I'm one. Really I'm&nbsp;two, three, four or more."</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Containing such an untruth dulls any composite oneness&nbsp;~&nbsp;rendering it too imperfect to apply to the ultimate truth and perfection, the Creator Himself.&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Examples of composite oneness are&nbsp;all around us. Anything in creation which we consider as being one is&nbsp;really a composite of parts. For the sake of convenience, let's consider how one finger is composite. One finger is composed of cells. One cell is composed of molecules. One molecule is composed of atoms. One atom is composed of subatomic particles. One subatomic particle is composed of a "beginning, middle and end". Each "beginning, middle and end" has its own "beginning, middle and end".&nbsp;&nbsp;Even if what's subatomic is nothing more than amorphous smears of energy, they still contain some version of "beginning, middle and end". No one would refer to a finger as a truly singular entity, except&nbsp;to conveniently ease human communication, when it contains such a world of varied composition, .</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">This contrasts with the Creator's Oneness which is so inherently pure, flawless and perfect that it contains no parts, no version of multiplicity whatsoever, no "beginning, middle and end". Such divisions are finite and He's the very opposite, truly Infinite!&nbsp; It's interesting how His Infinity logically extends from the idea of His true Oneness and vice versa, His Oneness logically extends from the notion of His Infinity; Demonstrating that they're complimentary ideas ~ both pointing in the same direction.</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Being One and Infinite, He's all of existence or more accurately, the only existence. If there's a space anywhere in reality devoid of His Oneness and Infinity, then He can no&nbsp;longer truly be called, "One&nbsp;or Infinite",&nbsp; as His Being stops somewhere, recasting Him a composite being shackled by finite constraints. Since He's One and Infinite in the most perfect possible sense, obviously this is not case.&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">We see before our very eyes so much multiplicity. How does this barrage of multiplicity fit consistently with the presence of a Being Who is the only existence, as "only" excludes all else?&nbsp;In an oversimple sense, this would expecting to place a pebble in the exact same place occupied by a huge hulking mountain. Sorry, the mountain is in the way. Similarly, how is there room for any&nbsp;second entity in the exact same reality occupied by the Infinite Being?</span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Attempting to answer this question can become the basis for universal mysticism. The closer we come to answering this question, the closer we come to understanding the Creator's Oneness (to the extent humanly possible).&nbsp; It's a lot like Einstein's discovery of the constancy of the speed of light.&nbsp;This discovery forced him to reformulate his understanding of time and space, leading him to develop the theories of relativity and time dilation. So too, the constancy of the Creator's Oneness (and all implied) requires us to reformulate our understanding of everything finite. This reformulated understanding leads to deeper understanding of the Oneness and finite existence,&nbsp; opening our minds and hearts to mystical insight.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Through the years, I've seen many question whether studying standard Jewish mysticism, known as Kabbalah, is for everyone. My<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">stance on this issue</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>is beyond the scope of this essay, especially since it's more complicated than a simple yes or no. However, what I am outlining here is a new mystical approach which should be free from such questioning and should be made available for everyone because it deals directly with the Creator's Oneness ~ which really is for everyone. The more a person delves into trying to relate to the Oneness, the more s/he enhances his/her observance of a Biblical commandment given to all humans.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">There are a number of great rabbinic works which can serve as central hubs to begin formulating this understanding. Among them are "Duties of the Heart" - the Gate of Unity by Rabbi Bachya Ibn Pequda, "An Explanation of the Ten Sefirot" </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">(currently, only available in Hebrew) </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">by Rabbi Azriel of Gerona, "The Gate of Unity and Faith" by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, and "The Wellspring of Moses" </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">(</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">currently, only available in Hebrew</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">) </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">by Rabbi Moshe Schatz. Ideas can be culled from these works in order to reach and teach higher levels of Monotheism. Indeed, if done correctly this can turn into a life long study, as every inch of reality is rediscovered in the light of it's relationship to the Oneness.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Are you ready for the journey?</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))))))))</span></div>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-28079208360515686772011-07-10T21:37:00.001-07:002011-07-10T21:37:29.480-07:00A Question of Space<h3 class="post-title entry-title"> <a href="http://soullite.blogspot.com/2011/07/question-of-space.html"><br /></a> </h3><div class="post-header"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="color: #943634;">The Jewish sages teach that the Creator is <i>space</i> for the entire creation. In other words, the whole creation, spiritual and physical, is <i>inside</i> the Creator.&nbsp; There’s nothing <i>outside</i> the Creator, lest it infringe on His infinity, by implying some outer border.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="color: #943634;">I was once discussing this concept with someone who questioned, “Doesn’t all this talk of the creation being <i>inside</i> and not <i>outside</i> the Creator somehow ascribe a notion of space to the Creator; Isn’t He’s supposed to be beyond space?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="color: #943634;">I was dazzled by the powerful depth of the question. &nbsp;However, at the time I had no real answer. So, for more than a decade I simply accepted what my ancient sages taught on faith. Then the other day an answer dawned on me (though I wonder whether it would have satisfied the original questioner).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="color: #943634;">It seems likely to me that the sages spoke only from the perspective of creations, like us. From the Creator’s perspective, He’s the One and only reality. In the midst of such seamless Oneness, there’s nothing besides the Creator Himself. &nbsp;So the question does not even begin, as there’s only Him. &nbsp;There’s no other being to be <i>inside</i> of Him. &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="color: #943634;">Yet, from the perspective of those who dwell within <i>the illusion of separation</i>, the question of how separate identities are placed in relation to each other first begins. It’s this particular perspective which the sages were probably addressing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #943634;">*****************************************</span></div>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-55665035643333969242011-06-27T21:44:00.000-07:002011-06-27T22:15:31.680-07:00"How does the Creator know everything?"<div class="post-header"></div><i style="color: #a64d79;">------------------------------------------------</i><br /><span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span><br /><i style="color: #a64d79;">The Creator has no “outside”.</i><br /><i style="color: #a64d79;">All Creation resides within Him,</i><br /><i style="color: #a64d79;">United within His Beingness.</i><br /><i style="color: #a64d79;">Just by knowing Himself,</i><br /><i style="color: #a64d79;">He also knows everything else.</i><br /><i style="color: #a64d79;"></i><span style="color: #a64d79;"><br />&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: xx-small;">(Adapted from Tanya I 48)</span><span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79;">------------------------------------ </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79;"> &nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">This past Sunday my students had asked me, "How does the Creator know everything?"</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I explained, "He knows everything just by knowing Himself."</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The class shot me a puzzled look.</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">"Look" I continued, "The whole universe is&nbsp;inside of&nbsp;Him. There's no such a thing as being outside the Creator."</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">"Really?", Came back the incredulous response of several students.</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">"But ... the universe is so amazingly large. How does it all fit into the Creator",&nbsp;They protested.</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">"Ah", I lifted my eyes, "You think the universe is so amazingly large? According to Kabbalah this whole vast expanse that we see all around us it's merely a teeny tiny universe within a even vastly larger spiritual universe."</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I waited to them to absorb what I just said. Once their faces and body language appeared settled, I continued, "And that vastly larger spiritual universe is merely a teeny tiny universe within an even larger spiritual universe. And that within an even larger one ... the process continues until universe is layered within universe like the layers of an onion with our physical universe right in the deep center. All these universes are inside of the Creator. He's around all of them."</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">However, we ran out of time. So I&nbsp;did not yet have the opportunity to finish explaining to the class how the universes are truly one within Him. My concern is that from everything I explained, a student can mistakenly walk away with the notion that the Creator is positioned around a "bubble". Within this&nbsp;"cosmic bubble" there's a layering of universes. However, this is not truly the picture&nbsp;I was trying to convey.</span> <br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The picture I was trying to convey is closer to a dreamer&nbsp;having a dream. The dream, dreamscape and dream characters are not merely "inside the dreamer" - they are literally one with the dreamer. The very fabric of the dream is the dreamer himself.&nbsp;On the level of the dreamer's psychological fabric there's no distinction between dreamer and dream. They are seamlessly one and the same. So dreamer knows everything going on in&nbsp;his dream simply by knowing himself - for they are the same. </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: #a64d79;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Similarly, in a metaphorical sense the Creator is dreaming creation into being.&nbsp;This is why He knows everything&nbsp;&nbsp;that is going on simply by knowing Himself.</span> <br /><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Hopefully, with the Creator's help I'll soon have the opportunity to convey this notion to my class.</span>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-85168282510449553692011-06-27T21:39:00.000-07:002011-06-27T21:39:47.973-07:00As the Holy One fills the universe ...<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><br /></h3><div class="post-header"> </div><ul><li><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em>As the Holy One fills the universe, so the soul fills the body.</em></span></li></ul><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em></em></span><br /><ul><li><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em>As the Holy One sees and is unseen, so the soul sees and is unseen.</em></span></li></ul><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em></em></span><br /><ul><li><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em>As the Holy One nourishes the universe, so the soul nourishes the body.</em></span></li></ul><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em></em></span><br /><ul><li><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em>As the Holy One is pure, so the soul is pure.</em></span></li></ul><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em></em></span><br /><ul><li><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em>As the Holy One dwells in rooms within rooms, so the soul dwells in rooms within rooms</em></span></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Let the bearer of these five qualities praise the One Who bears these five&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; qualities.</em></span></div><br /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><em></em></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">~ Translated from the Talmud, Berachot 10A</span></div>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-1343173783145587352011-06-27T21:36:00.001-07:002011-06-27T21:36:51.030-07:00Delight in Love<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">The Dreamer and the dream are One. <br />----------------------------------------------------</span> <br style="color: #45818e;" /><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> <br />There is no separation between a Dreamer and his/her dream. Every detail in the dream from mental space, the dreamscape, the characters are really crafted out of the Dreamer’s own mental forces. They are One with the Dreamer, despite often seeming like they are separate entities with their own identities. This experience is only a passing illusion. As the Dreamer awakens, their “identities” disappear; merging back into their Source - the Dreamer’s own mind. </span> <br style="color: #45818e;" /><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> <br />Perhaps, this relationship between the Dreamer and his/her dream exists in our lives to serve as a tiny reflection of a much grander reality – the relationship between the Creator and His creation. In the Creator’s kindness, He allows us a parable in our daily (or nightly) experience to help us climb up to the more abstract notion of His relationship with the creation. <br /><br />However, the Creator does not “sleep”. In His case, only the characters feel the dream. He feels awake. While the characters are caught up in illusion of identity separation, He experiences everything as a single merged identity – Himself! <br /><br />As earthlings, we do not easily access a sense that our identities are really part of His greater identity. In order to even begin, we need to feel beyond our boundaries of self – another being beyond own skins. Loving another human being is the beginning of this growth. We can feel our identity enlarged and enriched by its merger with another identity. <br /><br />In essence, love is not about merging living space, bank accounts or even bodies. It’s about merging identities. A good question to mentally ask your self on a date is, “Would I be happy to become this person?” <br /><br />It’s best to resolve this question before “getting involved”. Once “involved” you’re passed the stage of this question. Now you’re working to become one with each other. <br /><br />By becoming one, a couple draws down a revelation of the Creator’s own Identity. They do this by drawing down their shared point of identity merger within the Creator. The couple’s field of love forms a crack in the illusory wall of distinct identities - allowing each other a tiny peek beyond the wall into the real Oneness. </span>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-87154193718569157702011-06-27T21:34:00.001-07:002011-06-27T21:34:44.129-07:00The Universe Needs a Creator<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></h3><div class="post-header" style="color: #a64d79;"> </div><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"><strong>The universe needs a Creator because nothing can create itself. Why? </strong></span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: 85%;"> <br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><strong>This is because there are only two choices of when something can create itself, either <em>before</em> it exists or <em>after</em> it already exists. <em>Before</em> it exists, it’s not there to make itself. <em>After</em> it already exists, there’s no need to make itself.</strong></span></span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: arial; font-size: 78%;">(“Duties of the Heart”, Gate of Unity)</span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: arial; font-size: 78%;"></span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: arial; font-size: 78%;">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 78%;"></span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;">Today, reviewing this concept was the highlight of my daily Torah study session. In the course of today's study, I have learned so many deeper concepts. I was baffled about why this teaching really stood out in my heart and imagination. Why wasn't it one of the deeper teachings that lingered on in my heart when I closed my books?</span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;"></span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;">At first I thought maybe because this teaching comes as representative of a special time and place - the medieval <em>Golden Age</em> of Spain. This period was really the renaissance before the renaissance. It was a special time and place of high achievement, education, discovery and the arts. After musing a while, I felt that this could be a reason, however, I felt deep inside that there was something more ...</span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;"></span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;">Finally it dawned on me that I was being subtly tickled by the underlying humor of the logic. I found it funny to imagine something that does not yet exist working to the point of exhaustion to create itself. I imagined the non-existent's gyrations and struggles as it engaged in the futile effort to exert and sweat itself into existence - like zero engaging in the impossible struggle to become one. </span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;"></span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;">I also found it funny imagining something already existing struggling very hard at the redundant act of creating itself. The unstated silliness had silently reached me. </span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;"></span> <br style="color: #a64d79;" /><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;">Humor makes a great teacher, even in disguise.</span>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-33309424288742369982011-06-27T21:30:00.001-07:002011-06-27T21:31:33.624-07:00Cosmic Dreamer<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></h3><div class="post-header" style="color: #134f5c;"></div><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>A teacher of mine taught: </b></i></span></span></span></span> <br /><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b> <br />"As dream characters are one with the dreamer, <br />So is all creation One with the Creator."</b></i></span> </span><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></i></b></span></span><br /><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">----------------------------------------------------------------</span></i></b></span> <br /><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 85%;"></span></i></b> </span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">What I love about this teaching is that it really provides a clear example to appreciate our relationship with our Creator. Think about it for a moment. A character that you meet in your dream is made up of you. Even if s/he feels to you like a separate identity, s/he's not at all separate from you. S/he's one with you.</span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Your being runs right through your dream character. S/he's through and through you - inside and outside. The only reason why for the moment s/he feels separate is because you're asleep. The moment you awaken, the illusion snaps and character's whole "identity" merges into his/her source in your identity, exposing a oneness with your own identity - a state s/he never really left. </span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">This is how our identities (and indeed the identities of all created beings) are in relation to our Creator. He's the only real existing being. There is nothing outside of Him. So how do we exist? </span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">We're l</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">ike dream characters, temporarily under the illusion that we're separate idenitities, when in fact there is only Him. The only difference is that we're the only ones dreaming, He's not! He's fully awake. From His perspective all the dream characters never emerge as separate entities. There's just Him and all is merged with Him in Oneness. Only the characters themselves are caught up in the great cosmic dreamscape.</span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Varying levels of reality, like paradise and earth are just the characters' own varied experiences of lighter or deeper dream states. The earth plane, is a state of mind where the dream feels very heavy. Characters caught in this state are suffused with the sensation that they're really separate beings. It's rare to have any sense of the existence of a Source Being, let alone of being connected to Him as an Ultimate Identity from Whom all other identities emenate.</span></span> <br /><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span> <br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #663300;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial;">Paradise is an experience where beings are beginning to sense the presence of their Source Identity and feel intense pleasure from this amazing connection. While the sensation of being a separate identity continues, it is softer and more faded.</span> <br style="color: #134f5c;" /> <br style="color: #134f5c;" /><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial;">This teaching has practical implications in our day to day lives. We are all characters sharing the same cosmic dream. This makes us one identity with each other. As our right hands treat our own left hands, so we should treat each other. There's really only One Identity coursing through all of us. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </span></span>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190662023676032885.post-61005706244787662472011-06-27T21:23:00.001-07:002011-06-27T21:24:34.312-07:00To Give is So Precious<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></h3><div class="post-header" style="color: #0b5394;"></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>This is my take on why we came down into the world: <br /><br />Before we were born we were souls enjoying heaven. Heaven was perfect. Everyone was so well taken care of. There were no needy souls. Without need, what could we possibly “give”? In His mercy on our predicament, the Creator sent us down into a physical place, where there is plenty of need &amp; hence, also plenty of opportunities to “give”! <br /><br />Next time you face human suffering and you wonder why? <br />Just ask yourself, "What would I expect a place where there are plenty of opportunities to give to look like?"</i></span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: 0pt;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 78%;">(Inspired by Rabbi Ashlag)</span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 78%;"></span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 78%;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 78%;"></span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Our Creator loves to give. He created a whole vast creation just to have the opportunity to give to another. The greatest gift our Creator gives us is to be a part of this amazing opportunity and join Him in His quest to give. This is the way we come close to Him - just like a child imitating his or her parents' ways in the quest to come close to Mommy or Daddy. </span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;"></span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;">Just to make our acts of giving extra special, the Creator made them challenging on varying levels. He gave us the freedom to choose whether we want to be selfish or selfless. On one hand, we can allow fear over the loss of our resources to plague us and close our hearts and hands to this amazing opportunity or we can allow ourselves to be open to that inner intuitive voice that reminds us Who gave us our resources to begin with and feel reassured by his amazing capacity to replenish them. In such happiness, we can celebrate our way towards making such a difference in our lives and in the lives of others by joining our Creator in His favorite activity - giving!</span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;"></span> </div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Yes, our Creator so giving that even allows us to do some of His favorite activity for Him.</span></span></div>Chonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10279879507351594239noreply@blogger.com1